Parameter-based controller for managing tool life considering change in machining conditions
AssigneeFanuc Corporation
InventorsTakumi Oohashi, Kazuo Sato, Hideaki Maeda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A numerical controller determines a consumption factor representing the degree to which a tool included in a machine tool consumes the life in association with machining conditions, and calculates a tool life (accumulated consumption life) consumed before each block based on the determined consumption factor and a tool usage for each block. If a command of a block read from a machining program is a tool change command, a tool having a tool life not ending before the next tool change command is selected among tools based on the accumulated consumption life.
Claims4
A numerical controller for machining a workpiece by controlling a machine tool including a tool based on a command of each of a plurality of blocks read from a machining program, the numerical controller comprising:
- a tool data storage section for storing tool data in which the tool and a life of the tool are associated with each other;
- a machining condition data storage section for storing machining condition data in which machining conditions at time of machining and a consumption factor representing a degree to which the tool consumes the tool life under the machining conditions are associated with each other;
- a program operation section for controlling the machine tool based on the machining program;
- a tool usage calculation section for calculating a usage of the tool for each of the plurality of blocks of the machining program;
- a consumption factor determination section for determining a consumption factor by referring to the machining condition data storage section based on machining conditions at time of machining performed in accordance with the machining program;
- and
- a life consumption-amount calculation section for calculating an accumulated consumption life, which is a tool life consumed before each of the plurality of blocks based on the tool usage for each of the plurality of blocks calculated by the tool usage calculation section and the consumption factor determined by the consumption factor determination section,
- wherein the program operation section is configured to, in response to a block read from the machining program containing a tool change command,
- read a machining command of each of subsequent blocks between the block containing the tool change command and a block containing a next tool change command in advance of execution of the machining command, and
- select a tool having a tool life that does not end before the block containing the next tool change command, from among tools stored in the tool data storage section, based on the accumulated consumption life.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.